The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-05
King Theebaw's Country.
From the Cbicngo Herald.


Robert Sutherland, of BurInah, is at the
Grand Pacific Hotel, and his fawn-colored
Knickerbockers, black stockings, white can
vas shoes, long linen vest, tight-buttoned to
the throat, eye-glass and red moustache
make up very striking combination as he
saumtered about the lobby. He was found
when approached to be highly intelligent
and affable man of the world, and to have
an apparently inexhaustible fund of in
formation about Burmah and the East.
II am travelling for pleasure" he said,
land shall be here for few days, seeing the
sights, having never seen Chicago before.
Then go East and to England. You see,
in Burmah, during the rainy season. which
lasts six months, we can do nothing, SO /
travel during that time. We came by way
of Singapore through China and spent some
time in Japan. There l was greatly sur
prised at the intelligence of the natives and
their rapid growth in Western ideas of late
years. We went up country, beyond the
railways, our conveyanceS being sort of
Bath chair upon two wheels and drawn each
by two stout, fine looking natives, who
made astonishing speed, sometimes as high
as 40 miles a day. We Travelled every
where, as freely and safely as we would, in
Japan, marked contrast to the total exclu-
sion of foreigners only 20 years ago."
Mr. Sutherland has been in Burmah
twenty-six years. and much of the time as
resident manage of the Bombay Burmah
Trading Corporation, one of the largest con-
Germs in the East
"Burmah possesses the only ruby mines
in the world and they are very valuable"
he continued ''The desire of the French in
Tonquin to get control of these and the teak
forests led to the recent trouble with King
Theebaw and the overthrow of that mon
arch's rule. He repudiated a very large
claim against him by the Bombay Burmah
Corporation, claiming that the agents had
made false returns. He wanted to break
his contracts, and to prevent his trading
with the French the English government
took up the claim of the corporation, its
members being British subjects, and the
war over its enforcement led to Theebaws
capture and the extension of the English
protectorate over the whole of Bur-
NAH, instead of one-half the coun-
try, as before. This was accom-
plished two years ago, Theebaw being sent
to India, where he remains a nominal pris-
oner, though he has ample means and lib
erty When Theebaw's army was disband-
ed the soldiers were allowed to retain their
arms and simply sent home. Without
means or occupation they began robbing,
first to get food, and then plundered from
the mere lust for it. They are known as the
DacoitS, and grew to be very dangerous
bands, all the idle and vicious swarming to
their ranks, the greater part of the country
being terrorized by them. The government
fina ly began systematic suppression of
them, and expect the country will be all
quiet and peaceful when l return. Ameri-
can missionaries have accomplished won
ders in Burmah, not only in Christianizing
the people but in civilizing and elevating
them. You meet them everywhere, and
the natives have learned TO have a great
deal of respect and admiration for them"
A SYRACUSE LAWYER, In drawing up a brief
referred TO a cote u ''carpentir, q "hOte
keapCr,' and "constebu." and yet he won bis
case. \ luwyvr who can weep before Il jury has
10 mood of any photography at all Detroit
Free Press